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SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TOURNAMENTMarch 1, 2012Amanda ButlerJennifer GeorgeJordan JonesNASHVILLE, TENNESSEE Florida – 70 THE MODERATOR: We are joined now by Florida head coach Amanda Butler and junior forward Jennifer George and senior guard Jordan Jones. We'll start with opening comments from coach and then take questions. COACH BUTLER: We beat a really good team this afternoon. It was an important win for us for a lot of reasons. Auburn being as good as they are, as capable as they are, we knew we had to play well, and I think we did for the most part. Didn't close out exactly as strong as we wanted to. But this time of year, it's just about some times hanging on to survive long enough. I think we did that. Really thought we did a great job from the free‑throw line, which again this time of year is crucial, certainly in a ballgame like this. Was really proud of the way we played collectively because it's hard to keep playing hard when you're not playing as perfect as you want to. I thought we did a good job of maintaining our composure, the push at the end, stepping up to the free‑throw line and having a lot of poise and knocking down those ones that really kept them from really getting in striking distance. Q. Coach, we talked yesterday about how you felt it was important to get off to a good start to combat the emotion. COACH BUTLER: I thought our start was important. I don't know that we felt like the lead was comfortable. I don't think we ever really felt comfortable. But definitely having a lead and feeling like you were at least in the driver's seat was important for us. Trying to eliminate some of that emotion, the togetherness we knew those kids were going to play with, and rightly so. Again, I thought we did a good job in the first half of combatting that a lot with our defense, only giving up 25 points when Blanche was torching us and a lot of other kids were making plays. I think that's what we wanted to do and, for the most part, we did that. Q. Jennifer and Jordan, you had a balanced attack. Talk about how you worked the inside out games. UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Well, we knew they were going to double inside. George has had an amazing season, she draws a lot of attention. It makes it easy on the guards. Takes a lot of pressure off us. Thought we got a lot of easy shots. That's what great teams have, is a good guard and postgame. That's what we're set up for right now. UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Our guards did a great job inside and we kicked it back out to them. Q. If we could look ahead to tomorrow's opponent, if each of you could give me a thought that you think about when you think about the two games you had against Kentucky this year. UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Close. A couple possessions here and there. We're talking about two games we would have won against Kentucky. We know we're going to have to handle their pressure, be ready not to back down. I'm sure we're going to watch a lot of film tonight, so it will be an exciting game tomorrow. UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Going off of that, I would say missed opportunities. I think it's a few possessions here and there that could have gone our way and could have had a different outcome for us. COACH BUTLER: I think that really captures a lot of what we initially feel. I think the detail work in both of our games against Kentucky was not good. That showed up in the turnover column, that showed up in the rebounding column, that showed up in the free throw column. I think we've got to play really, really hard and with a tremendous amount of fight, which is I think while we're in the position we're in, that can't waiver. But we also have to play a good, detailed basketball game. Q. Coach, can you comment on this being Nell's last game and the impact she's had on the game. COACH BUTLER: I think when you look at what Nell has done thus far, not just in our league, which you look at all the different stages she's been successful on as a basketball player, as a basketball coach representing our league, our leagues, and our country, that's certainly hard to give you a short answer. But I think when you get past wins and losses, SEC championship, coaching and recruiting players like Dewanna Bonner and all those great things are easy to read about, I think she's also one of the most likable coaches we've had in our league. It's hard to be likable in our league sometimes because it's so competitive. She's always someone that competed with a great spirit about her and I think that's obvious that that's also the way she coaches her team. Some of the pregame comments of her players, the things they were saying about her, that's probably the greatest demonstration of the impact she's had on the game. It's been an honor to compete against her, lucky to have her as a friend. She's been a great encouragement. We've had some disappointments that are well‑documented this year and I always got an uplifting message from Nell, and that is unique, but she's a unique person and we'll miss her. THE MODERATOR: Thank you, ladies. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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